Oh dear, a film starring mist itself... how appropriate for these boards
The Fog
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Wiccy of the Fraternity
- Membre Retiré
- Posts: 3272
- Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 6:39 pm
- Location: Powys, Cymru (Wales)
I think that the trick with any remake is to basically ignore the fact that it is a remake.
If you compare it to the original, you will almost always be disappointed.
Especially horror remakes that abandon plot points in favor of digital effects.
The thing is, pretty much all plots have been done before so just try to enjoy the movie without comparing it to the original and you will enjoy yourself more.
If you compare it to the original, you will almost always be disappointed.
Especially horror remakes that abandon plot points in favor of digital effects.
The thing is, pretty much all plots have been done before so just try to enjoy the movie without comparing it to the original and you will enjoy yourself more.
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Rotipher of the FoS
- Thieving Crow
- Posts: 4683
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2003 4:18 pm
Saw it this weekend. I agree with Tessa: it's a passable flick if you ignore the fact it's a remake. If you try to measure it against the original, you'll just spend the whole film grousing about the changes.
The "twist" ending will seem awfully familiar for anyone who's read a lot of Gothic stuff -- or anyone who knows Ravenloft -- but at least we get to learn more of the backstory than ever before. On a positive note, I think this version's actually more "Ravenlofty" than the original, in that you see the main characters discovering the town's dark secret first-hand, a bit at a time. Situations have definitely been updated for a modern audience (e.g. that radio-show hostess actually gets off her behind and *looks* for her kid this time), and there's more action interwoven with suspense.
For those of us on these boards, of course, the fog itself is the star: banks of it well up out of the darkness, sweep onto beaches and streets in active pursuit of fleeing characters, and seep into cars and houses through the tiniest of cracks. It's a nice coincidence that this came out right after the VRGMists became available, because it's probably the closest we'll ever get to seeing the actual Mists on film; think of those sandstorms from the recent Mummy movies, but done with fog and with even more attention to detail. Unless you're on a budget or are slavishly devoted to the original film, it's probably worth seeing in-theater (at least at matinee prices) for the full impact of watching full-screen waves of Mist rushing toward you.
in conclusion? Don't expect miracles, but go.
The "twist" ending will seem awfully familiar for anyone who's read a lot of Gothic stuff -- or anyone who knows Ravenloft -- but at least we get to learn more of the backstory than ever before. On a positive note, I think this version's actually more "Ravenlofty" than the original, in that you see the main characters discovering the town's dark secret first-hand, a bit at a time. Situations have definitely been updated for a modern audience (e.g. that radio-show hostess actually gets off her behind and *looks* for her kid this time), and there's more action interwoven with suspense.
For those of us on these boards, of course, the fog itself is the star: banks of it well up out of the darkness, sweep onto beaches and streets in active pursuit of fleeing characters, and seep into cars and houses through the tiniest of cracks. It's a nice coincidence that this came out right after the VRGMists became available, because it's probably the closest we'll ever get to seeing the actual Mists on film; think of those sandstorms from the recent Mummy movies, but done with fog and with even more attention to detail. Unless you're on a budget or are slavishly devoted to the original film, it's probably worth seeing in-theater (at least at matinee prices) for the full impact of watching full-screen waves of Mist rushing toward you.
in conclusion? Don't expect miracles, but go.